


You're All I Want for Candlenights

by nekosd43



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Candlenights, Canon Trans Character, F/M, Fluff, Gender Dysphoria, Name magic, Necromancy, Party Planning, Post-Canon, Rituals, Traditions, Trans Female Character, Wedding Planning, Wedding Rings, Weddings, also during canon, barry is a good boyfriend and husband, half of this takes place during Stolen Century, he loves his tol wife very much, it's cute I swear, mentioned anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 04:30:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13116060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nekosd43/pseuds/nekosd43
Summary: When they had started the process, Barry hadn’t given much thought to when her body would be ready.  No matter how long it would be, it would be too long.  Every moment that Lup was in her spectral form as they waited for her body to regrow was a moment he didn’t get to hold her, so it was a moment wasted.  But there was nothing to be done for it except to wait, and as the time passed Barry did the math.And if his calculations were correct (and frankly, they always were), Lup would have her new body just in time for Candlenights.OR: Barry and Lup prepare for Candlenights, and remember another Candlenights many years ago.





	You're All I Want for Candlenights

**Author's Note:**

> SO I'VE NEVER WRITTEN BLUPJEANS BEFORE I HOPE I DID OKAY. This is for the TAZ Secret Santa on tumblr, for Bibarrybluejeans! Couple of notes:
> 
> \- i researched liches way more than griffin did and i regret nothing  
> \- there's a section where Lup and Barry talk about her transition, and this story is in the "Lup uses magic to transmutate her body" school of thought.  
> \- i was dumb and assumed "end of a year" in a cycle meant end of a year but there's no reason to believe that they left their home world on new year's day... whatever. I do what I want.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

When they had started the process, Barry hadn’t given much thought to _when_ her body would be ready.  No matter how long it would be, it would be too long.  Every moment that Lup was in her spectral form as they waited for her body to regrow was a moment he didn’t get to hold her, so it was a moment _wasted_.  But there was nothing to be done for it except to wait, and as the time passed Barry did the math.  

And if his calculations were correct (and frankly, they always were), Lup would have her new body just in time for Candlenights.

“Oooh it’s the best gift I could give myself,” she teased, floating dreamily next to Barry’s workbench and looking at the math herself.  “A new body for Candlenights, prime for _smooching_.”

“And _other_ things,” Barry laughed, extending his hand to her.

“Naughty naughty,” she chuckled.  She put her hand near his.  They couldn’t touch, not in the way that they wanted to, but they could _feel_ each other, the warmth and the heat of their energy and love.  It was keeping them going.  It always had.

“I _meant_ all the fun Candlenights stuff!” Barry said defensively, rolling his eyes. “Like eating good food, and snuggling by the fire, and holding hands during the lighting of the lanterns…”

“And fucking,” Lup said bluntly, and Barry could see her spectral grin as his face went red.   _Gods_ he wanted to kiss her, but he settled for passing his hand into hers, feeling the crackle of energy across his skin.  Feeling the warmth of her presence.

“I’m just saying that you’re going to be able to get the full Candlenights experience this year,” Barry continued. “We’ve both got a few we need to make up for.  We could plan something special with the family if you wanted.  Something that does _not_ involve sex.”

A crackle of energy ran over Lup.  “Like a party?”

“If you want,” Barry said.  “It can double as a homecoming party.”

At that Lup put her ephemeral hand to Barry’s face, and he flinched slightly at the spark of magical energy, but he still smiled.  And Lup could swear she could feel her non-existent heart skip a beat when she saw that.  After all these years, they were going to be together again.  They were finally coming _home_.

“Well we’ll have to do some careful preparations if we’re having a party,” Lup said.  “Wouldn’t want to have a shabby first Candlenights in my new body.”

“Whatever you want babe,” Barry hummed, bringing his left hand up to cup where her hand would be against his face.  A sparkle of silver caught Lup’s eye as her magic danced off the two wedding rings Barry was wearing: hers and his.

Careful preparations had been the staple of their relationship.

There had been careful preparations for the mission itself.  Barry’s careful preparation to approach Lup with his feelings for her.  Lup’s preparation to open up to Barry about her life once she realized she felt the same.  The preparation for their performance at the Conservatory that sealed their feelings for each other.  Their careful preparation for the ritual responsible for their current situation.  And their best laid plans to return themselves to each other.

She smiled, thinking back to another Candlenights almost 30 years ago.  A Candlenights approached with careful preparation just like everything else they did.

Except their marriage, which happened at the same time.  That was a little more spontaneous.

* * *

 

“It’s going to require a _lot_ of positive energy to keep us grounded,” Barry explained, “We’re going to want to anchor ourselves into the people and feelings we love and care for so we aren’t swept away by the raw power of the transformation.”

“Well, that’s _you_ B,” Lup said, kissing his cheek with a smile.

It was their 82nd cycle, and Barry and Lup were in bed discussing their future together.  It was not the way most couples went about their family planning.  There was no talk of homes or kids or white picket fences.  Barry and Lup were discussing something a little more _eternal_ than that.  

And a lot more dangerous.

“Babe that’s sweet but I’m serious,” Barry said, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek in return.

“I’m kiiiinda serious too?” Lup replied.  “I love you, and I think I could keep myself from going whack just from the strength of our love alone.  You’re that fucking _adorable_.”

She rolled onto her back, looking up at the ceiling of their (now) shared cabin, and feeling a warmth in her heart she couldn’t get enough of.  Barry rolled over to rest his head on her bare stomach, and her hands went to his hair, carding through it gently.

“It’s not enough to love _me_ , though I’m _super flattered_ ,” Barry explained.  “In order for this to work you’ve got to love _life._ All of it.  You’ve gotta be so wholy attached to life that you cling to it against all odds.”  He sighed and turned his head to nuzzle into her stomach with his nose.  “I don’t doubt you love me Lup, but I don’t want to take any risks.  I just think it would be safer if we had other memories to work with, just in case something goes wrong.”

“Alright then I’ll make a special memory with Taako,” Lup said.  “You’ll need one too.”

“I’ve already talked to Magnus about it,” Barry sighed.  “He’s planning on taking me _backpacking_ , then we’re gonna stargaze on top of the mountain and camp out.  Hopefully it’s a good day, but knowing Magnus he’ll make it memorable.”

“I know we’ve been preparing for this all year,” Lup said softly, working a tangled curl of hair around her finger.  “But it’s coming so _fast_.  We’ve only got a few weeks left before…”

“Yeah.”

They were silent for a moment, staring into the darkness of their room.  Both their hearts beat heavy in their chests as they thought about the future.  Then suddenly Barry sat up.  He turned to her, face panicked in the darkness.

“We should get married.”

“Babe what?” Lup laughed, sitting up.

“We should get married before… Before we do this,” Barry stammered as he turned away from her.  “If something happens I want to know we _were married_.  Just in case one of us…”

Lup curled around Barry’s back, pressing herself against him as her arms encircled his waist.

“Oh B,” she said, kissing his neck.  “We’ve been together for decades.”

“Which is why I didn’t think about it,” Barry explained.  “I know it’s basically a symbolic gesture at this point, but...”

“It’s fine babe, I get it,” Lup said, kissing his ear.  “Of _course_ I’ll marry you Barry.”

A beat, and then they both started to laugh.

“Sorry Lu, I should have, like, _proposed_ or something, not just _shouted it out_ ,” Barry said, flopping down onto the bed.  She lay down next to him, curling into his chest.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, “I’m scared too.”

He didn’t respond, but Barry’s hands went to the small of her back and pulled her closer to him, until the line of their bodies was as thin as it could be.  They fell asleep like that, wrapped into each other’s arms in a way that mirrored how their souls felt.  

Entwined.

* * *

 

There were a lot of things to consider when planning their Candlenights party.  There was food and music and decorations, but there were also preparations unique to them.  

There was a lot that went into growing a body from scratch.  

Barry was carefully watching the progress Lup’s body made as it grew inside the tank, checking to ensure it was on schedule and that everything about it was _perfect_.

Of course Barry already thought that Lup was perfect.

On the other hand, Lup didn’t like to spend very long with her new, growing body.  She rarely went into the lab to look at it, but Barry understood why.  It had been awhile since she had been _in_ a body, and her body in particular had some unexpected baggage that came with it.  The magic was good but it wasn’t perfect.

They hadn’t realized it would regrow her body from the way it was _before_ her transition.

“You look good,” Barry said, taking off his gloves as he left the lab.  “You’re almost the right height and weight, and you’ve got all your fingers and toes.  Your hair is getting really long, but we can get you a haircut after you’ve reanimated.  You’ll be ready just in time.”

“I still have a dick though,” Lup huffed.

“Yeah there _is_ a penis,” Barry admitted, “But once you’re _in_ your body we can do the transmutation spells you need to get you to where you want to be.”

“Wish we could do it _before_ I have to go in there,” Lup sighed.  “Nooot looking forward to making that stop into Dysphoria Grand Central, even if it’s only for a few minutes.”

Barry sat down on the workbench and patted the space next to him.  Lup hovered closer to the bench with a frown, knowing Barry knew all too well that she couldn’t _actually_ sit.

“I would if we could but you know how fickle that old pod is.  There’s no way it would handle an outside spell like that,” Barry soothed, and he looked so apologetic as he did so that Lup softened her gaze.  “I _promise_ you won’t spend a second longer than you need to like that.  We’ll prep the spells so you can change right as you get out, and I’ll make sure all the mirrors are covered so you don’t have to see yourself if you don’t want to.”

“I just,” she hesitated, unsure how to continue.  “I didn’t want you to have to see _that_ version of my body.  I’d already transitioned when we met and...   _I_ haven’t even seen it in so long, I almost forgot.”

“Lup I already knew you had used transmutation magic on your body before we met,” Barry shrugged.  “If you don’t feel comfortable you have every right to make changes, but I’d love you with or without those changes.  I’ll always love _you_.”

A moment of silence, and Barry felt her brush against him, sending a shiver up his spine.

“... I look good though?” she said softly.

“Babe you look _so good_ ,” Barry said with a smile.  “Everything else came back exactly as it was before.  You’ve _even_ got that mole on your inner thigh that I liked to kiss.  The one that’s _really_ high up?”

Before realizing what he said, Lup cracked a wicked smile.  “Barold, were you _creeping_ on my body?” Lup laughed.

“It was for science I swear!” he laughed.  “That pod hasn’t grown anything but Barry bodies for ten years, when your primary sex characteristics started forming I had to make sure you weren’t a magical _hybrid_ of the two of us.”

“Ah, nope,” Lup sighed, “Just me.”

“And a _lovely_ you it is,” Barry crooned, pantomiming a kiss on her cheek.  It made his lips tingle.

* * *

 

Davenport had agreed to do the ceremony, but the day of their wedding Barry realized they had forgotten something important.

“Do you want to keep _your_ family name?” he asked Lup.

“I _can’t_ use my family name Bar,” Lup said.  “That’s what happens to elves who leave their clan.  You lose your name.  Wouldn’t want to anyway.  And last I checked you don’t use _yours_ either, unless I’m honestly supposed to believe you had your name changed to ‘Bluejeans’.”

“Yeah no, my family name is _Hallwinter_ but like… They’re all dead?” Barry realized, “And I was thinking… why do we have to take names of the families who didn’t really like us all that much anyway?  They’ve been dead for almost a hundred years.  Maybe their names should... die with them.”

“Then are we just not going to _have_ a family name?” Lup asked, taking his hand.  “I mean just _Lup_ is rad as fuck, got a _rock star_ vibe out of that, but plain _Barry_ is kinda eh…”

“Actually I was thinking,” Barry said, squeezing her hand, “When we become liches, our full names will have power on their own.  We’ll need to keep them a secret.  So maybe we just… pick our own?  Just for us?”

“And Davenport,” Lup reminded him.  “He’ll probably want to know them for the purpose of officiating.”

“Okay Davenport can know it,” Barry chuckled, “I don’t think he’ll use our names against us, and I feel like we can trust him to take us down if we get too powerful.  He’s pretty crafty.”

“Well I’m pretty sure if Captain _Dadnport_ wanted us dead he’d want to use our full names anyway,” Lup giggled.  “So that’s it then?  We just… make one up?”

“Why not?” Barry admitted with a grin.  “We’re starting something new.  Let’s make it _really_ new, not tied to anyone else.”

“Okay B,” Lup said, “What should we choose then?”

“Yeah, what kind of name would best represent us?” Barry mused.

Lup laughed.  “How about Lup and Barry Awesomesauce?”

“Horrible,” chuckled Barry.

She poked him in the ribs with a grin.  “Speak for yourself, _Bluejeans_ ,” she teased.

“Fair enough,” Barry laughed.  “How about... something in Elvish?”

Lup shrugged.  “I’m open to suggestions.”

“How about…” he blushed and smiled widely.  “ _Melinyes_?”

A soft smile spread across Lup’s face.  “Honey that just means _I love you_ ,” she laughed.

“Yeah, but every time I say your name it will be like…” he squeezed her hand even tighter.  “ _Lup, I love you_.  And only I will get to say it to you, for the rest of our lives.”

“And Davenport,” Lup said again.

“Davenport gets to say it _once_ this afternoon, and then never again,” Barry laughed.

“Mmmm…   _Barry Melinyes_ ,” Lup mused.  “ _Lup Melinyes_ … it’s not bad.  I like it, but I wouldn’t scribble it in the margins of my notes with hearts around it.  It just lacks the _punch_ that Bluejeans has.”

“We can put Bluejeans on the paperwork,” Barry teased, kissing her cheek.  “Is that good then?   _Melinyes_?”

“I think so,” she whispered, kissing him on the lips.

* * *

 

The preparations for the party were going as smoothly as they could with half of the planners being unable to interact with the material plane in any meaningful way.  Lup spent a lot of time hovering around and asking for things, while Barry spent his time doing them.  He hung decorations around their home, and bought food to prepare for the party.

There was a small hang up though.

“I’m not going to be able to help you with cooking until I get my new body,” Lup sighed, floating over the sacks of groceries Barry had brought home.  “I can, like, give instructions?  But you’re going to have to do most of it yourself.  I’m worried if I touch any of the food it will spoil.”

“Yeah that’s that necromantic energy,” Barry moaned.  “It’s okay, I can always call Taako in if I need extra help, but I think we’ll manage.”  He gestured to the groceries on the table.  “I got everything you asked for, so what will we be making?”

“I’m thinking latkes and sufganiyot,” Lup said, “Our aunt always used to make those for Candlenights.”

“Oh boy I get to _fry_ things,” Barry laughed weakly, “That’s fine, as long as you lower your expectations for quality.  I tend to burn everything.”

“It’ll be great,” Lup assured him, “You’ll do great.  And anyway I haven’t eaten anything in ten years, so they’ll taste good to me no matter what.  What did your family make for Candlenights?”

“Eh, mostly sweetbreads and roasted meats,” Barry shrugged, “We weren’t big on the traditions.  What about that thing you and Taako used to make on the Starblaster for Candlenights?”

“The pudding?” Lup laughed, “B we just would throw that together out of whatever fruit and spices we could get that year, it wasn’t anything _special_.”

“It was special because we all would share it together,” Barry said with a shrug.  “It wasn’t always _good_ , but it was _our_ tradition.  I think everyone would love to have it again.”

“Okay, but this year it actually needs to taste good.  Not like that year all we had was dragonfruit and garlic.”  Lup smiled.  “It’s gonna be so good to be able to _taste_ things again.  It’s been so long I’ve actually _forgotten_ what being hungry feels like.”

“Well we want to have all of your favorite foods for Candlenights, so that you can get all the best experiences,” Barry explained, looking through the bags.  “I got a couple bags of junk food, just in case you wanted something cheesy or salty or greasy or whatever.”

“You’re too good for me Bar,” Lup hummed, looking at the bag of chips Barry was setting out.  “I’m so lucky to have you.”

“What else do you want to do when you get back in your body?” Barry asked.

“Well wear something that _isn’t_ red for once,” Lup laughed, gesturing at her spectral red robes.  “If I had known I would be spending ten years in this outfit I would have worn something different.”

“You look as beautiful as you did that day,” Barry said, and while Lup _couldn’t_ blush it certainly _felt_ like she was.  “I can’t wait to hold you again.”

“Just a little longer,” Lup teased.  “Oh, we’re not doing gifts, right?  Kinda hard to go shopping like this.”

“I figured the only thing you’d want is this,” Barry said, gesturing to the second ring on his finger.  “And the only thing _I_ want is you, so…”

“I can’t believe you were able to keep those both safe, with all the body switching you were doing,” Lup said.

“Well I had to, didn’t I?” Barry said.  “They were the only thing that made me certain you were still out there.”

“I’m just saying I’m impressed,” Lup said, extending a spectral hand to Barry, which he raised his own hand to touch.  “That whole time I was trapped, I knew the only reason I was still alive was because your ring was safe.  And I hoped every day it was safe because it was still with _you_.  I love you.”

“I love you more than anything babe,” Barry said with a smile.  “I overcame death for you.”

“Mmm, me too,” Lup hummed.  “A thousand times over.”

* * *

 

“Do you two have rings you’re exchanging?” Davenport asked.

“Yeah I… I got them right here,” Barry said, fumbling in his pocket.

“Thanks for doing this Cap,” Lup said, “And for agreeing to keep our chosen names a secret.”

“You two are going to go through with that ritual whether or not I approve,” Davenport said, “The least I could do is make sure you have another safety net.”  He took one of each of their hands into his own.  “You’ve thought it all out?  Every contingency?”

“We have,” Barry answered.  “We’ve run all the numbers.”

“What will your phylacteries be?” Davenport asked.

“These.”

Barry pulled his other hand from his pocket and held out the two silver rings they were going to exchange.  Davenport looked them over with a careful eye.

“Pretty bold to tie your soul to something you wear on your own body,” Davenport replied.

“No we…” Lup intercut, “We won’t be wearing _ours_.  Barry will be tied to my ring, and I’ll be tied to Barry’s.”

“So we’ll always be together,” Barry explained.  “And we can protect each other.”

“Alright.”  Davenport squeezed their hands.  “Promise me that if one of you is planning on going somewhere dangerous, that you’ll leave your ring with your partner.”

“Of course,” Barry replied.

“For sure,” Lup agreed.

“We doing this?”  Taako asked from behind them, and Lup smiled as she turned to her brother.  They needed a witness, and there was no one more suited than Taako.  They could trust him with their name.  She could trust him with anything.

“Hold onto your hat bro, I think we’re about to start.”

“Yeah,” Barry nodded.  “We’re ready.”

“Okay then,” Davenport sighed, and cleared his throat.  “Barry, do you take Lup to be your partner in life and in death?”

“I do,” Barry said with a smile.

“And Lup, do you take Barry to be your partner in life and in death?”

“I do,” Lup said, grinning.

With one final squeeze, Davenport released both of their hands.  “Then with the power vested in me, I name you Barry and Lup _Melinyes_ , husband and wife.”

They slid the rings onto each others hands, and kissed quickly.  Taako sniffed, and Lup smiled as they turned to see Taako holding back tears.

“Fucking… going to ruin my smokey eye,” Taako moaned, giving his sister a wink.  “I hope you’re happy.”

“Thanks for the sacrifice, Koko,” Lup laughed.

“Be good to each other,” Davenport said quietly.

“We will,” Lup replied.

“When will you be doing the transformation?” Davenport asked.

“Next week,” Barry answered.  “We’ve got everything we need prepared now, we just wanted to have it close to the end of the year in case…”

“In case something goes wrong,” Davenport finished.  “I understand.  Quite a Candlenights gift you’re giving each other.”

Barry laughed shyly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

“If it was anyone else I’d be terrified for you,” Davenport said.  “Don’t get me wrong, I’m still scared for you both, but…. you two… I think you two can make it work.”

* * *

 

Lup’s new body reached maturation the first morning of Candlenights.

The process itself was fast and quiet.  Lup emerged from the pod and Barry quickly handed over the components she would need for her transmutation spells.  Once that was done they embraced, holding each other for the first time in what felt like an eternity.  Then they were kissing, and laughing, and kissing again, and Lup found herself crying and smiling and feeling overwhelmed as her heart in her chest beat once again.  And Barry too, unable to tear his hands, his lips away from her, wanted to touch every inch of her, to feel all he had missed in those long ten years.

And then they were running to the bedroom to make up for lost time.

Of course they couldn’t stay there all day, as much as they wanted to.  There were other things that needed doing.  Barry helped Lup cut and shave her hair until it was the way she preferred it.  Lup helped Barry with the remaining cooking that needed to be done, dusting his sufganiyot with sugar and preparing the IPRE pudding.  Still they took every opportunity to kiss and touch and hold each other.  They were never further than a few feet apart, fingers often entwined as they worked on their various tasks.

It felt like coming home.  

That evening, Lup lit the candles on their decorations with a flick of her wand, and beamed as everyone at their party gasped with joy as both the candles and her dress sparkled in a rainbow of magical lights.  In the candlelight, her newly returned ring that housed the root of Barry’s soul glittered on her finger, and she smiled as she felt it’s cool metal on her skin.

There was so much about being alive she had missed.

But that night, as Magnus drunkenly sang a traditional Candlenights ballad, as Merle awkwardly flirted with the Candlenights bush, as Taako teased Barry for his overcooked (but still delicious) sufganiyot, as Lucretia told Angus stories about the Candlenights puddings the twins would make for them, as Davenport beamed up at them both from his place by the fire, she realized how lucky she was to have another Candlenights with them at all.

“Guys I…” she paused, and cleared her throat.  “Sorry, not used to having vocal chords.”  The crowd laughed, and she smiled.  “I just wanted to say… thank you everyone for coming to celebrate with us.”

“Welcome home Lup!” Merle cried, and Magnus cheered “Yeah, welcome back!” in response.  Everyone started to laugh and clap and cheer, and Lup’s heart soared to be with her family again.

“And…  And I wanted to thank Barry especially,” Lup said, taking his hand, “For helping me out and… for keeping my memory alive even when he didn’t know who I was.  You’re the reason we’re all together again babe.  I love you.”

“Gross!” Taako shouted.

“Shut the fuck up Taako I’m trying to be heartfelt!” Lup snapped back playfully, and everyone laughed once again.  With a toast, they all cheered once more under the sparkling lights.  Then they returned to their party activities, singing and dancing and laughing and eating and enjoying each other’s company in peace.  Barry leaned over and kissed Lup on the cheek, then whispered quietly into her ear so only she could hear him.

“Happy Candlenights, Lup Melinyes.”

Lup felt a tingle of magic down her spine as Barry said her true name, and she smiled.

“Happy Candlenights Barry Melinyes.”


End file.
